The sun of hope will shine on 21,000 children and youths who have been affected by the insurgency in the north east region of Nigeria. This is coming courtesy of the Mary Onyali Sports Foundation that is taking sports to IDP centres to help the victims reduce the trauma of the boko haram menace as well as have a career future.
To deliver this task, the Foundation in Abuja on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Wanoriya Amana Foundation at the Engineering Centre in Abuja. The project is to commence immediately.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Mary Onyali said, “we in the Basic Olive Opportunity Sports Training (BOOST) only decided to deliver a unique intervention for that region code named Kanem Sports+Peace Initiative for the North East. In order to be able to do this, we needed a local partner, thus, our choice of Wanoriya Amana Foundation.
“It is our vision to acquire equipment, employ coaches and take to where the children and youths are. We shall give them the sports and foot wears and train them in five sports. We shall support them to mature and become greater athletes who will bring succor and hope to their families.”
In his acceptance speech, Engineer Kabiru Wanori thanked the initiators of the project and for choosing his organisation and the region. Our people in this respect must unite and be in the fore front to grab this golden opportunity and support the world sports legends who volunteered to use their names, images and God-given talents to raise our sons and daughters from grieve to glory.”
Wanori also announced that the following sports will benefit from the initiative: Basketball, Baseball, Athletics, Handball and Taekwondo.
Former Nigerian handball national team player, Hussaini Mohammed, who played his professional career in Oman, thanked the initiators saying, “since when I got wind of this project, I was elated. I offered to join them on my own. I want to see a new generation of stars rise from the relics of the boko haram insurgency and make great name. This is hope restored in our region.”
